Another Answer
by TheZygomaticArch
Summary: Kind of a "what if" fic set during Boy with the Answer. What if the Gravedigger had been found not guilty? My take on how this might have changed the show. Hannah free:)
1. Verdict

Okay... so a new story.

It takes place during Boy with the Answer and deals with what might have happened if the trial of the gravedigger hadn't gone as well and Heather Taffett would have walked. I don't know how long this will be. Or even where its going, just got a couple ideas.

If this first chapter appeals to you and you want to hear more. Please drop me a review and let me know:)

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><p>"I just don't understand..." Temperance Brennan slammed her beer back down on the bar. She wasn't exactly drunk, but her blood alcohol content wasn't exactly clean either. "The objective of the defense is to create reasonable doubt in the mind of the jury. Reasonable! Reasonable being the predominant word," Brennan took another swig of her drink. "She did not do that!"<p>

Booth wished he could offer her something; a sort of solace she could find comfort in. Something about this being the way the justice system works and how great it is that they live in a country where everyone is entitled to a fair trial. But the fact of the matter was, the justice system had failed and they had both bared witness to it. A serial killer was out there on the loose now, and the system that he served had allowed it to happen.

Noticing Booth's silence, Brennan calmed down from her rant, "I'm sorry, Booth".

His eyes looked up curiously, "What are you talking about, Bones. You've got nothing to be sorry about."

"If I hadn't pushed to have our cases thrown out... we might have won."

"Hey, last time I checked I had my case thrown out on my own free will," His hand reached out to hold her's. "You did your best Bones, we all did. We proved she was guilty. Just the all the lines and strings got in the way..."

She closed her eyes and pulled in a deep breath, "I hate this."

"Me too," He was doing his best to stay grounded for her, but the stress was eating away at him too.

"I wish my dad had done it, Booth. I can't help it."

"No you don't. Then your dad would be in jail tonight and this time he wouldn't be getting out," but truth be told, Booth was thinking the same thing. Actually Booth was slightly tempted to take Taffet out himself... but he silenced those thoughts. No matter what had happened in that courtroom, he couldn't do that.

"Sweets seems to think she'll act again..."

"I know."

"She said something to me, Booth. Right as we were leaving, she told me that this wasn't over..." She tried to keep her voice under control but she knew he could hear it tremble.

"You're going to be fine, Bones. I'll keep you safe," he'd do anything to keep her safe.

"You can't know that!" She just argued. "And it's not just me, Booth." her eyes began to fill with tears and she was worried he'd be able to see right through her.

He wasn't sure what made him say it, but the moment it came out of his mouth, he knew he wanted it, "Let's go away together."

"What?"

"Let's go way. You and me. We'll get out of DC, we'll go some place warm and sunny. We'll go relax on an island and spend all day drinking maitais-"

"Booth..."

"Bones, just think about it. You said you were tired of all this, right? That you were tired of dealing with death and murder. Well let's go. I'll put in my letter of resignation tomorrow and buy our plane tickets tonight," It seemed perfect to Booth. Maybe she was right, maybe he couldn't insure her protection here, so he'd take her away to where she'd never have to worry about it. "Just think about it, Bones. Please."

She was shocked by his offer and more than tempted to accept, but "Booth, we can't do that."

"Why not, Bones?"

"That won't change anything..." She could tell he knew she was speaking about more than what had happened earlier that day. She was talking about them. "Heather Taffet will still be out there. And what about Hodgins and Angela? Cam, Sweets and Caroline? Parker..."

"Believe me, I'm paying for a brand new security system for Rebecca tomorrow and getting Parker his own cell phone," And he was thinking about trying to put them in witness protection if he could manage it. "Just for a little while, Bones. Let's go clear our heads..."

She smiled a little. It wasn't that hard for her to imagine laying in the sand with him, drinking icy cocktails, and letting him hold her at night. But a murderer had gone free that day. A cold blooded killer was walking free while the victims were left without justice. How could she take off to a beach knowing that? It would be wrong. "I'm sorry, Booth."

"Yeah. Okay," Booth scolded himself. She had only told him quite definitively a couple months ago that she wasn't interested in being with him, but here he was asking again. "Come on. You look tired. Let me get you a cab."

They walked out of the Founding Fathers silently and Booth hailed her a cab. Part of her was wondering if it was to late to take him up on his offer. Maybe an island together was a little bit much, but being somewhere alone with him was undeniably alluring.

Booth tossed a couple big bills at the cab driver, "You watch and make sure she gets in her building door okay, got it? You don't just drive off."

The cab driver glanced Brennan's way, "Trust me, I won't mind watching her."

"Okay, FBI right here. Don't get creepy. You make sure she gets to her door- respectfully," Booth threatened before returning his attention back to Brennan. "You send me a text message when you get home, okay? And make sure your doors and windows are locked."

"You're going to start doing this all the time, aren't you?"

"Just humor me a little, Bones," He opened the cab door for her and let her crawl in.

"My building is perfectly safe, Booth."

"Yeah, like that exploding fridge you had there..."

"I'll be fine, Booth," But her glare soften. "Please be safe as well."

"Always."

He shut the car door behind her and watched the cab pull away. Two blue eyes turned to meet his from the back window.

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><p>So what are you thinking? You like it?<p>

Please review and let me know if this is a story you want to hear!


	2. Come

This is actually a "reposted" chapter. The original chapter kinda made me write myself into a hole, but I recently had a new vision for this story so I had to go back and edit.

Enjoy and please review!

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><p>She didn't realize when the cab pulled up to her apartment. Somewhere along the way her train of thought had taken over and her surroundings were forgotten. It wasn't until the cab driver asked her if she planned on getting out that her thoughts were broken.<p>

"Just so you know, lady," The diver looked at her in his rearview mirror. "You can sit in this cab all night if you like, but the meter is going to keep running."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

It was difficult for her to shake that last image of Booth standing there on the curb as she was driven away. He looked so hurt and heartbroken; actually he was looking like that a lot lately. Every time they departed it was there, and it was now starting to take its toll on her. It was difficult hurting him like that at the end of everyday; like living the night outside the Hoover over and over again. He had said he would move on, but she new he wasn't. He was putting on a brave face for her; doing his best to pretend that nothing had changed between them, but it wasn't true. She had turned him down that night to keep from losing him; to protect him, but her logic didn't match the result. And now, everyday she was forced to face the repercussions of her choice. Wanting him, knowing that he wanted her, and walking away to keep things together... although evidence was telling her it was falling apart.  
>She entered her apartment and felt a sudden uneasiness. Taffet's words from that afternoon were still ringing in her head.<p>

"This isn't over."

"This isn't over..."

Nothing appeared out of place and everything looked exactly as she had left it that morning. Still, she couldn't shake the instinct that something wasn't right. She searched her apartment... nothing.  
>It had to be paranoia. An irrational result of the day's stress and recently consumed alcohol. She was safe. She was sound. She was alone. Very alone, and it didn't give her the comfort she thought it would. Part of her was scolding herself for not staying at the bar, not having that other drink with Booth, and not getting so irresponsibly intoxicated that she would go home with him.<p>

Brennan pushed those thoughts away and tried to get on with her nightly routine.

But as she went through the days mail, things shifted.

There was a large envelope marked "URGENT" in red letters

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Booth hadn't heard from her after he got home and it bothered him. Granted this was nothing new; his partner often forgot to call or text him when she arrived home safe, despite his constant request. He hated when she did that. It always put him in the awkward position of wondering if he should call her or not just to make sure. Part of him would want to call- just to have the peace of mind. The other part of him hated having to call because he didn't want to seem to needy. The later the night went on the worse it got. If he called too early, he might be jumping the gun. If he called too late then he would probably be waking her up and also have to face the embarrassing admission that he'd been thinking of her all night.

She's probably fine. Her building is safe. You need to stop crowding her, she doesn't want it. She doesn't want you... not in the way you want anyway. Respect her wishes.

He tried to get his mind off of it. A little ESPN and a bowl of ice cream. A simple fix to a not so simple problem. Or at least that was the hope.

... ... ... ... ... .. ... ... . ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... .. ... ... ...

Possible evidence of homo floresienses having mated with early homo sapiens was found in the Maluku Islands. A team was being organized to research and further unearth the find, and she was being asked to lead the project. A project that, if proven to be sound, could be one of the most important historical finds since Darwin's work in the Galapagos. She could feel her heart beginning to race and the adrenaline rise in her body. This was quite possibly the biggest opportunity she'd ever received...

And then she thought of Booth.

She didn't understand it, but his image was at the forefront of her mind. How could she leave him and run off to some island?

Island...

Brennan didn't believe in fate... but she believed in coincidence.

Not an hour ago Booth had asked her to run away with him to some island, which she promptly turned down, and now it was as if the universe was asking her to reconsider. It was ridiculous... wasn't it?

What would she tell Booth?

'I was just offered to head up a team for what might be the most important historical find in the last hundred years. I would like to extend an offer for you to accompany me..' 'Go with me...'

'I'd like for you to go with me.'

'I want you to go with me.'

'I want you to be with me...'

' I want you with me.'

'I want you...'

Oh, boy...

Brennan stared at her phone. She could call and ask him. She could call and ask him and be on a plane with him tomorrow. There was hardly any doubt that he wouldn't say yes. All she ever wanted was for him to be happy, and she knew that her asking him to go with her would do just that. Here was an opportunity for her to give him exactly what he wanted and what she wanted too.

But then what?

Going away together on an island wouldn't guarantee anything.

She grabbed her phone and dialed. Now or never.

"Booth?"

... ... ... ...… ... ... ...

Booth had begun to drift off when the sound of is ringing phone jolted him back to consciousness. His eyes shifted around the room in search of the pants he had discarded earlier to make himself more comfortable.

His reflex response went to Bones. Was she okay? Was she scared? In trouble- hurt? Why hadn't she texted him back like he had asked her to do?

"Booth?"

"Bones?" He sounded nearly out of breath from his sudden anxiety. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"Why would something be wrong?" She asked cooly; forcing Booth to instantly feel foolish. "Why do you sound so out of breath?"

He hung his head- thankful that she couldn't see it. "Nothing. I was just working out."

"Booth, you really shouldn't be working out after all the alcohol you just consumed. You'll dehydrate yourself more quickly."

"Just push-ups, Bones," and he could feel himself cringe at the lie. What else was he supposed to say? Sorry, he was just jolted awake after trying to fall asleep without thinking of her and then he was scared out of his mind that she was hurt be because he's still out of his mind in love with her? Yeah... that would go over great. "What's going on, Bones?"

... ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... ...

"You should really drink some fluids, Booth," She could feel herself stalling.

"Bones, I'm fine what's going on?" He pressed.

"If you go to sleep now after further dehydrating yourself-"

"Bones."

This really hadn't been thought through, she could feel that now. Her heart was racing at an almost erratic speed and even her palms were going clammy. Was it too late to turn back now? "Booth, I um... when I arrived at my apartment tonight, there was a letter in the mail."

"What kind of letter, Bones? Do you need me to come over?" He was sensing the uneasiness in her voice.

"No, Booth. Nothing like that... It was an offer, actually. There has been a rather historical find in the Maluku islands. Possibly one of the most important finds in the last century."

"Oh?"

"And I have been asked to be the lead anthropologist..."

... ... ... ... ... ... .. .. . ... ... ... .. ... ...

Booth could feel those drinks at the bar really starting to take hold of his stomach. Maybe he did need water after all. "That sounds really great, Bones. They'd be lucky to have you."

"It would mean leaving DC for six months, Booth."

"Oh?"

"I realize that it's a long time..."

"Bones, if you need to go-"

"Come with me."

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><p>What will Booth say?<br>Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

Maybe it was all moving a little too fast.

One moment they had been hypothetically discussing a ludicrous idea of running away to a tropical island, the next they had a perfectly legit excuse for running away to a tropical island together. She had been invited to head up a research team in a turbulent country and needed protection- it was only rational that he accompany her. Sitting at the airport gate together now, he was beginning to have second thoughts and judging be her fidgeting- so was she.

It wasn't until the next morning that she realized inviting him to accompany her was a mistake. She'd made plenty of trips without him in there time together- a large portion of them to war torn countries- and never once had she asked for him to go with her. The only reason she had asked him to go with her this time was because she was in alcohol induced state after a very emotionally distressing case and only a short while early he had been asking her to run away with him. Claiming the reason was protection was only a guise to secure a reasonable motive. Now in the light of day, without the influence of any substances, she could clearly see that the last thing she should be doing was being alone with him in a secluded environment. Not after everything that had happened and been said.

Everyday since that night at the Hoover, she'd been battling her torment of seeing him. Every meal and every car ride was laced with with the underlying tension that here was the man did so desperately want- knew she couldn't have- and had hurt badly in the process. She was exhausted of the reminder and now it was here sitting next to her; lodged between the man at her side.

"Excited?" Booth was the first to break the tension.

"For the flight?" she looked at him curiously. "No. I'm assuming that it will be very dull."

He huffed, "Not the flight. You know, the bones and stuff. You're excited about that, right?"

"Oh, yes." That she was genuinely excited for, but only that. "You do know this is not a vacation, right Booth?"

He leaned back in his chair and looked out the window at their plane. Of coarse he knew; she had been doing her very best to make that clear to him for the past week. This was not a vacation or a romantic getaway. He was only acting as a security guard and they would be staying so far inward that he would probably never even see a beach. "I had to get three different shots for bugs and diseases. There's no air conditioning. No television. Trust me, Bones. I'm not under any delusions over what this might be."

There was a harshness and annoyance in his tone that caught her off guard. Maybe he was looking forward to this even less than her, and she hated that. The last thing she wanted was to drag him to a place where he'd feel miserable. "The country is very beautiful, Booth," she tried to ease him. "And I imagine you'll enjoy the food, although most of it isn't deep fried..."

He managed a small laugh, "You know, you always mock the deep fryer... but who's always stealing my fries?"

"I don't like to waste food! It seems irresponsible when much of the world is starving!"

"When was I wasting them?"

"Well, you weren't eating them..."

He smiled and bumped her shoulder, "Well, now I've just learned to order extra so someone doesn't steal them..."

"How is it stealing if you're purposely buying extra for me?" He finally managed a smirk out of her. "Maybe I only eat them because you buy extra and I know it's too much for you?"

"That sounds like psychology."

"No. Logic." They both suddenly looked away from each other; it was amazing how quickly they could come back to the reality of their situation. "I really do hope you're not to miserable, Booth. And just so you know, you can leave at anytime."

Booth tried to not read into that too much. Over the last few days he had started to piece together the idea that she didn't actually want him coming along, but tried to keep that out of his mind, "I'm sure I'll be just fine, Bones."

She was about to thank him, when suddenly their flight was called. It was the signal that for the next forty hours, they would be, essentially, alone together. Washington to Los Angeles. Los Angeles to Hong Kong. Hong Kong to Indonesia. Then finally on to Maluku in a tiny plane that neither one of them wanted to think about. It all seemed a little daunting, and then the reality would sink in that it wasn't just the next forty hours but the next six months.

Around two hours into their flight, Booth could finally feel the anxiety taking hold of him. They would still be in the US when they landed, so he he wanted to make his getaway- the option was still there. However, at that exact moment he felt a sudden weight to his shoulder. Somewhere between fear and panic, Brennan had fallen asleep and her head had made contact with his shoulder. Not only made contact, but nuzzled.

He wasn't going anywhere.

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><p>So they're not thrilled about being stuck together... but really are:)<p>

review pretty please!


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